Kawasaki Frontale coach Toru Oniki will take over as the club’s new manager in 2017, the club announced on Monday.

The 42-year-old, a former Frontale player, joined the club as an academy coach in 2007 before being promoted to the first-team coaching staff in 2009. 

“After receiving this ofter from the club I decided that I strongly want to commit to this challenge,” Oniki commented. 

“I want to inherit the attractive football that Yahiro Kazama has built at Frontale and develop it even further.”

Oniki is set to take over in February for a two-year span.